Football



Aug. 19, 1924.

G..L. Pix-:RCE 1,505,862

FOOTBALL Filed May 1923 Patented Aug. 19, 1924. 1,505,802

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE L. PIERCE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO A. G. SPALDING & BROS., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FOOTBALL.

Application filed May 18, 1923. Serial No. 639,842.

T all whom t may concern.; the contained air. This subjects the rubber Be it known that I, GEORGE L. Pinnen, a tube to Wear, and after a certain period of nitizen of the United States, and resident use it is liable to break down and iender the of Brooklyn, Kings County, New York inflatable member useless. The second tube State, have invented certain new and useful Which I provide for balancing the Weight Improvements in Footballs, of which the of the first tube and the flap may be used following is a Specification, after the first tube becomes broken or unfit One object of the present invention is to for use, in Which case the broken tube Would provide a football which will be of a balsimply be plugged and permanently closed. i0 aneed Character, being substantially no A balancing patch may be used alone or 60 heavier on one side t-han on the other. Combined With the Second tube.

The invention consists in the features and I Claim 21S Iny invention: combination and arrangement, 0f parts here- I. Iii COInbinatiOIi With the Outer Casing inafter described and particularly pointed Of ci football having an opening for the inout in the claims, sertion of the inflatable member, and a flap 65 In the accompanying drawinge to close said opening, an inflatable member Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through having a filling tube to pass through an a football embodying the invention, opening in the flap, and means carried by Fig. 2 ie a transverse Section, the opposite side of the ball, and Wit-hin the Figure 3 is a part sideJ elevation of the saine, to balance the Weight of said filling 7o bladder alone showing a modification of tube, Substantially aS deSCI'ibed. the invention. 2. In combination With the outer casing The outer leather casing under usual 0f a football having an opening for the inpraetice is provided with an opening l at sertion of the inflatable member, and a iiap one side thereof which is Closed by a flap 2 to c lose said opening, an inflatable member 75 having an opening through which the valve having 2lfillllg tube t0 Pese tllIOugh all tube 3 passes. This structure is at one side OPGIllHg H1 the flap, and Ineens Carried by of the. ball and hence additional Weight the opposite side of the ball, and Within the occurs here due to the Weight of the tube Same, t0 balanoe the Weight of said filling 3o and flap, and ordinarily this throvvs the ball tube, Said balancing means being' attached so out of balance. In order to counteract this t0 the inflatable meinberextra. Weight and to balance the ball, I 3. In combination With the outer casing place on the interior inflatable member or of a football having an opening for the inbladder a patch 4, this being located at the sertion of the inflatable member, and a iiap point opposite that at Which the tube is to close said opening, an inflatable member 85 located thereon, and this patch may be of having a filling tube to pass through an sufficient size and thickness to substantially opening in the flap, and means carried by balance the Weight of the filling tube and the opposite side of the ball, and Within of the flap above mentioned. the same, to balance the Weight of said fill- 40 The ball may be made Without the flap 2. ing tube, said balancing means consisting 90 I may also employ a second filling tube- 5 of a second filling tube and a thickened poron the bladder With the patch surrounding tion surrounding the same and at a point the same, and this will provide the balancon said inflatable member, opposite that at ing means. Furthermore, when this second Which the first filling tube is located, subtube is employed, it will be obvious that the stantially as described. 95 life of the inflatable member is increased. 4:. An inflatable bladder for footballs hav- It is the usual practice to inflate the interior ing a filling tube and a patch carried by the member by blowing through the tube and outer side ofI the Wall of the said inflatable then this tube is bent over and fastened bladder on the opposite side of the ball down so as to prevent the outlet of any of from Where the filling tube is located to 100 counterbalance the weight of the Said tube,

. substantially as described.

5. In combination with the outer casing of a football having an opening for the insertion of the inflatable bladder, a bladder having a iilling tube to pass through the opening of the cover, and means carried by the bladder on the opposite side of the bladder from the location of the lling tube to balance the Weight of the same, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my Signature. 

